The Northern Senators Forum, a coalition of senators from the 19 northern states, has sounded the alarm regarding widespread power outages in several areas, notably Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa.
In a statement from the Forum’s Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, released in Katsina on Friday, he called on the Federal Government to act swiftly to restore electricity, as the blackouts are crippling business operations in these states.
He pointed out that the power failures are a result of vandalism and issues with the national grid, leading to economic distress and higher healthcare costs for ordinary citizens.
The Forum urged the Federal Government to focus on repairing the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission lines to restore reliable electricity and to enhance security measures to protect electrical infrastructure.
The statement highlighted the need to “improve security and implement strategies to prevent future vandalism and safeguard power infrastructure.”
It also encouraged support for renewable energy initiatives and KEDCO’s mini-grid solutions for sustainable power options.
“The ongoing outages, caused by vandalism and national grid disruptions, have led to significant economic hardship, negatively affecting healthcare delivery and increasing fuel expenses for the populace.
Small businesses are finding it difficult to operate, hospitals are incurring higher running costs, and many people’s livelihoods are being adversely affected.
While the Forum recognized the progress in power distribution made by the current administration and appreciated its efforts, they emphasized that urgent action is necessary to ease the suffering of constituents and to boost economic activities.”